An article on Planet5D talking about Panasonic potentially dropping the Micro 4/3 system (except for the GH4) also mentions the possibility of Canon acquiring Panasonic’s camera division. We’ve heard various things in the past about Canon acquiring camera technologies and companies, but nothing has ever come of it. It’s usually been focused around medium format companies or print technology companies such as Kodak.

From Planet5D

dalubo 1:15PM

I heard from some very reliable sources that Canon is about to take over the Panasonic camera division. And that Olympus retreats from MFT too.

I have no idea what Panasonic has that Canon would want, perhaps there’s some video technology or patents that are of interest. I am reminded of a few articles I’ve read about the camera industry needing a giant shakeup. One of the suggested shakeups is less camera manufacturers. Panasonic, while making some very good products in the industry, seems to relegated to a niche market of budget conscience videographers and photographers.

Whether or not this is true doesn’t matter, it’s a telling reminder of the state of the industry. Some companies are going to be leaving the camera marketplace in the coming years, there just isn’t enough growth to keep companies profitable. Canon and Nikon are safe, though the latter isn’t exactly a profit machine. Sony seems content of giving it their all to find a place in the photography world and Fuji is making some cool niche products and are profitable. Leica has become a lifestyle brand, and the Louis Vuitton customer will continue to purchase the high margin German cameras. The rest? I’m not sure how much longer we’ll see Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung and Ricoh/Pentax in the game, I expect at least 2 of those names will be moving onto other things.

While it might make sense for Canon to acquire Panasonic's camera division to buy themselves back into current sensor technology the idea of Panasonic and Olympus dropping Micro 4/3? I think this one falls under a bad joke.

While it might make sense for Canon to acquire Panasonic's camera division to buy themselves back into current sensor technology the idea of Panasonic and Olympus dropping Micro 4/3? I think one falls under a bad joke.

"Panasonic's CEO seems dead set on sticking by his "5% profitability" line in the sand. He's already begun closing down businesses that don't meet that goal and have no possibility of doing so any time soon. It seems clear that more businesses will be shut down at Panasonic if they can't get to that 5% number within the next 12-18 months. More so than any other camera company, I worry about Panasonic's ability to come out of the camera sales slump intact...

Bottom line is this: Panasonic is the company to watch carefully, as they're the canary in the coal mine. They're the only one of the Japanese camera companies that currently appears to be trying to fully address years of slothful organizational bloat and are actively closing down businesses that underperform. If they keep their still camera group going, all the Japanese companies will, I think. If Panasonic takes an ax to that group (or even just the compact camera part), others may follow."

We have a limited vision (pun intended) of the camera manufacturers. But given the financial climate, Sony seems better suited to sell its department of photographic cameras and sensors. Panasonic is deficient, but not as hopeless as Sony.

"Panasonic's CEO seems dead set on sticking by his "5% profitability" line in the sand. He's already begun closing down businesses that don't meet that goal and have no possibility of doing so any time soon. It seems clear that more businesses will be shut down at Panasonic if they can't get to that 5% number within the next 12-18 months. More so than any other camera company, I worry about Panasonic's ability to come out of the camera sales slump intact...

Bottom line is this: Panasonic is the company to watch carefully, as they're the canary in the coal mine. They're the only one of the Japanese camera companies that currently appears to be trying to fully address years of slothful organizational bloat and are actively closing down businesses that underperform. If they keep their still camera group going, all the Japanese companies will, I think. If Panasonic takes an ax to that group (or even just the compact camera part), others may follow."

Look at what Olympus did to 4/3 cameras (NOT micro 4/3). The whole line died. No more semi-pro cameras... gone with no warning leaving it's customer base in the dust....

yeah.....I think this is just hoax upon hoax..(as in April Fools)..the hoax on the MFT sites is that Panasonic is getting out pf MFT and going to make a FF camera only...This is all from a (supposed) Clandestine Asian-Language audio tape translation of higher ups in a private conversation...now someone has just added Canon buying Panasonic out....It all looks like an April Fools Day hoax....

It makes little sense to buy into a business that is selling compact cameras. Canon is also rumored to be getting out of the low end point and shoot business, that makes more sense.

Panasonic does make some very good video equipment and lenses, that might be what interests Canon. The factory with its skilled workers might also be worth a ton of money. They might buy it to keep Sigma or Tamron from buying it.

"Panasonic's CEO seems dead set on sticking by his "5% profitability" line in the sand. He's already begun closing down businesses that don't meet that goal and have no possibility of doing so any time soon. It seems clear that more businesses will be shut down at Panasonic if they can't get to that 5% number within the next 12-18 months. More so than any other camera company, I worry about Panasonic's ability to come out of the camera sales slump intact...

Bottom line is this: Panasonic is the company to watch carefully, as they're the canary in the coal mine. They're the only one of the Japanese camera companies that currently appears to be trying to fully address years of slothful organizational bloat and are actively closing down businesses that underperform. If they keep their still camera group going, all the Japanese companies will, I think. If Panasonic takes an ax to that group (or even just the compact camera part), others may follow."

Look at what Olympus did to 4/3 cameras (NOT micro 4/3). The whole line died. No more semi-pro cameras... gone with no warning leaving it's customer base in the dust....

Not totally true...the new M1 plus new adaptor finally takes up the slack there....4/3 lenses work well with the M1.I think this is a hoax though for April Fools Day.

Gotta be a joke. Not that they couldn't make use of some sensor patents perhaps, as Canon is the odd man out at this point when it comes to lower ISO DR. But surely they could get those for less than the whole company and it really doesn't seem to make any sense other than April Fools.

Probably an April Fools, but I still find it more credible than the rumors about Canon purchasing a MF manufacturer.

APS-C & EOS-M made sense because (a) those are big markets, and (b) Canon's FF lenses could be mounted on those cameras.

What would be the benefit of making MF cameras? Selling a small amount of cameras with another manufacturer's mount? Making a whole new line of lenses, rather than investing resources into some other line which benefit it more, e.g. EOS-M?

Panasonic recently hived off its CMOS sensor fab plants to TowerJazz the Israeli company, it retains a small shareholding but that tells you they were not a profit centre like Sony fab plants (Sony bought a Renesas fab plant to increase its production for cell phones). Panasonic have a tie-in with Leica making their low end models (but not the sensor for the Leica M 240 which was designed by CMOSIS) and they license Leica lens designs much like Sony does with Zeiss.

Sony own a shareholding in Olympus after the Olympus scandal left them vunerable and Olympus switched its sensor supply from Panasonic to Sony. Olympus has improved its performance in its camera division although its still loss making, Sony bought in for the medical division an area it was not in.

Canon purchasing Panasonic is plausable for two reasons:-

1. Canon use back side illuminated sensors & Panasonic have good IP on front side. 2. Panasonic & Fuji are co-developing organic CMOS sensors which may produce results more like film